It's not all bad: social media can help teenagers' mental health

Reports of the harms of social media are nothing new, but a report from the Pew Research Center shows how it can help teens. In particular, a survey by the research center shows that 74% of American teens feel better connected to family and friends, writes TechCrunch.

63% of respondents also said that social media gives them a platform to better express their creativity. Meanwhile, another survey conducted by the Trevor Project shows that 53% of young LGBT people of color feel safe and heard and understood on TikTok, 43% on Discord, and 41% on Instagram.

In particular, these online communities have a positive impact on mental health. Respondents who reported feeling safe on social media were 20% less likely to have attempted suicide in the past year.

Going back to the Pew Research Center survey, 34% of teens said they sometimes get information about mental health through social media, and 63% of respondents said social media is an important source of such information.

Despite the positive impact, the Pew survey also points to negative aspects of social media. Many teens are more concerned about the negative impact online platforms have on their peers than on themselves. 48% of respondents said social media has a negative impact on people their age, while only 14% believe it has a negative impact on them personally.

In addition, the negative impact of social media extends to other aspects of life. 45% of teenagers say that online platforms make them sleep worse, and another 40% report poorer productivity.